The Next Morning
by Laser Lance 720
Summary: The morning after the final battle finds Hermione, Neville and Luna in the common room together. As the three take in the new day they find the stress and fear of yesterday leaving their mind.


Written for the Triwizard Tournament (Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, (dialogue) "Voldy's gone moldy. So let's have fun.")

-oOo-

They were going on almost eight hours after the final battle at Hogwarts. Those who had fought on the side of the Light kept to the battlegrounds after it was all done, finding comfort and a warm bed in the castle.

Among those who had stayed were Neville and Hermione. The two friends had come across one another during the breaking of the next morning. Neither had been able to sleep, for similar reasons. After so much fighting it seemed impossible to relax and take a deep breath. Which was why they were both here, sitting across from one another in the Gryffindor commons, and basking in the warmth of the fireplace. Most of the other inhabitants of the towers had fallen to rest, but these two couldn't find it in themselves to close their eyes.

They both knew they needed to sleep but whenever Neville broached the subject Hermione had only replied with an off handed, "probably". That was about an hour ago, and since then the sun had begun to rise outside. The two sat in silence further, choosing to simply watch the rays of sunlight reach over the hills.

It was Neville who broke the quite when he said, "I haven't seen a real sunrise in months." Hermione looked at him with a raised eyebrow of question. "Hiding in the Room of Requirements didn't really give much window access. I didn't realize how much I missed the sun until it wasn't there to see."

"I saw too much of it over the last year." There was a smile on Hermione's lips as she turned to the window. "I took morning watch a lot while we were traveling. Neither Harry nor Ron are quite functional that early in the morning. I never thought I'd tire of sunrises, but you'd be amazed at how quickly I began to resent them."

Neville chuckled at her comment. "So what were you three doing anyways? If you don't mind me asking. I mean, you guys show up after being missing for nearly a year. There's all these rumors about what you've been up to. And then no sooner you show up, _bam_, it was all fighting and what not."

"Sorry about that." There was a large quality of guilt in Hermione's voice as she looked at her friend. "It hadn't been our intention to bring the war here. Not like that. We certainly didn't plan for everything to happen as it had."

"Don't apologize." Neville said. "It was bound to happen eventually. Just glad everything ended well for us."

"I can't argue with you there." Hermione leaned back in her armchair. She stretched a hand out towards the fire place and took in the heat from the flames. She couldn't begin to describe the release she felt with no longer being hungry, soaked, dirty and scared. She liked this peace, she just wished she'd learn to relax in it soon. "I was beginning to think this war would never end."

"I think all of us were with you on that one." Neville said. There was a clatter of someone moving down the stairs. Both already had their fingers around the wood of a wand as they turned to the descending sound. They knew there was no need to worry as the dorms above were currently filled with members of the Order and remaining Hogwarts students, but they couldn't help the spike of adrenaline that coursed through them at the noise.

A soft voice was singing from the stairwell as they descended, "We did it. We bashed them. Wee Potty's the One."

They recognized the voice and sat back as the young blonde skipped down the last step. She stood, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and yawning heavily. Her blonde hair was in loose curls down her back, and her mismatched pajamas were too bright of colors to be seen this early in the morning.

"Now Voldy's gone moldy. So let's have fun," she finished singing tiredly. Removing her hands from her face, Luna blinked several times before noticing the two in the common room.

"Morning." Luna spoke with a dreamy tone that not even the bloodshed of prior could have deflated. "It's quite the lovely tower you lot have. Lots of red. It's warming. Very comfy beds as well. I wish I'd visited sooner."

"Morning Luna." Neville said. There was a upturning to his lips that Hermione didn't fail to catch. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I like the sunrise." Luna answered simply. She looked out the window just as they had been doing, smiling widely at the sight. "It's always so relaxing isn't it?"

"What were you singing?" Hermione asked the Ravenclaw.

"I don't know the name of it." Luna shrugged. She repeated for them the lines she'd been singing on her way down the stairs. "I heard Peeves singing it last night. It's got a catchy tone."

"Voldy's gone moldy." Neville repeated the line was a smirk. "I like it. Really puts a touch to all of this, don't you think?"

"I couldn't agree more." Luna moved to join them on the couches. She dropped down next to Neville. Hermione made a quick note of the closeness that they sat to one another, as well as the light blush on Neville's cheeks. It was good to see some things hadn't changed in her absence. Luna however didn't notice the heat in the boy's cheeks as her gaze was cast out the window. "It's such a beautiful sunrise this morning. That's good. You know what they say about a sunrise after all."

"No." Neville said. "Not really."

"New beginnings." Hermione was the one to answer. "They mark the new day. A turning from the old and all that."

Neville took a moment to soak in that fact. A new day sounded lovely indeed. He was still sore from the battle hours ago, and as he looked at the two girls in his company, he could make out the burns and bruises that dotted over their arms and legs. He knew he was in a similar rough condition, just as most of them were. It had been a chaotic fight after all, a number of casualties on both sides. A new beginning was exactly what they all needed.

"What are you guys planning on doing now?" Neville asked, changing the conversation smoothly. "With everything over, you guys got any plans?"

"Don't know." Luna shrugged. "I'll have to help daddy get the Quiddler back up and running. I'll need to tend to the Dirigible Plums, he never remembers to water them, they're probably dried up by now. And I've still got one more year of school to look forward to. Do you think they'll have Hogwarts up and running for the coming year?"

"Most likely." Neville answered. "What about you Hermione? Now that you aren't out saving the world, what's next for the great Hermione Granger?"

Hermione didn't answer at first even though she knew what she needed to do. She sighed, "I have to find my parents. Beg and hope they forgive me for the whole removing memories and sending them into hiding thing. I don't know after that."

Not knowing something was a thing Hermione was beginning to get used to. At one point she'd had her whole life mapped out. Of course, she hadn't seen any of these recent glitches in that greater plan of hers. Now she didn't really know what to do. That original plan had been written up for a girl that she no longer was. Hermione doubted she wanted the same things for herself as she had a few years ago.

"You are coming back to Hogwarts though," Luna asked, "in the fall?"

That idea sounded like a good one to Hermione. The thought of taking it easy and taking that year to go back actually seemed like too good of a one to pass up. As she nodded in response she made a note to find out about returning.

"What about you Neville?"

"I don't know." The boy shrugged. "I didn't really learn enough this year to pass N.E.W.T's and I need those if I'm going into Herbology. So I might have to come back in fall as well. If the school will take me back."

"I don't see why not." Hermione smirked at him. "Although the property damages you apparently caused to this place might make them rethink that for a moment."

"Property damages?" Neville leaned towards her; the smile on his lips was growing dangerously wide.

"I saw those Devil Snares you let loose." Hermione answered. "And heard all about what you and the Army were doing over the year. It's good to know you put Seamus's talent for explosions to use. If I'm being completely honest, I am quite proud of you guys."

"Proud is the word she uses." Neville nudged Luna. "Remember the Hermione Granger who was applaud by our destructive talents?"

"Well," Luna held out the word as she turned to the Gryffindor girl, "this is the Hermione Granger who broke into the Ministry after all."

"Twice." Neville pointed out with a teasing grin. "With that property damage on your record you can kiss that Ministry job good bye, Hermione."

"Occupational hazard I'm afraid." Hermione said. "They'll understand. It was all for the greater good and benefit of mankind. In the long run though, the Ministry was the least of the damage we caused. We did ride a dragon through a different building a little while afterwards. Damages at the Ministry were minor compared to that. I'm more likely to get a job there, than ever being allowed back into Gringotts after that one."

"A dragon?" Luna's eyes widened.

Neville whistled. "Wow, you three must really have had an eventful year."

Hermione chuckled. "You don't know the half of it. I'm just glad it's all behind us now. I don't think I would have lasted much longer running around like that."

"I can image." Neville said. "I was going stir crazy in that room. If I had to stay in there any longer I might have just declared war myself and blown something up."

"Well it's all over now." Luna glanced out the window. The sun had long surpassed the distance mountain range and was beginning its climb into the sky. The new day had begun on a good note. Upstairs there came the sound of people stirring awake. "I say we enjoy the future."

"That's a pretty good idea." Neville said. After a moment, he began to smirk. "After all, Voldy's all moldy."

Hermione couldn't help but to laugh. "I believe it's too soon to actually call him moldy, but the enthusiasm is appreciated."


End file.
